The Rising Sun: Kane Chronicles Book 4
by Nivalisflake
Summary: The book 4 we deserved. Takes place 6 months after The Blood of Olympus. Obvious spoilers for the Heroes of Olympus series and the Kane Chronicles. Will feature characters from both HOO and KC. I hope you packed sunscreen. Rated T for future violence and language.
1. Chapter 1 - Date Night

**Hullo reader! I am the mightly Nivalisflake, and I am here to share with you a little side project of mine, which all started with my art project on Egypt.**

* * *

**{SADIE}**

"And there's my great great great... Grandfather." Walt said with a dried voice, studying the statue. My arm was linked through his as we wandered the halls of the Egyptian exhibit, alone. Zia and Carter had gone to get pizza and had yet to return. Ever since Zia had discovered the miracle of pepperoni, she wanted to have it every chance she got and Carter, my poor sweet little brother can't, of course, deny her.

I highly doubted that the guards would allow two teens to bring pizza into an exhibit filled with priceless relics, but if anybody came between Zia and her pizza on a date... Best left unsaid.

"Which one?" I said in reply to Walt, looking at the statue. It was carved stone, of course, with very... Odd features. Large hips, a swollen belly, long chin and too long arms. Compared to the stoic, fit Pharaohs around the room, this one looked like he could easily lose a foot race at the walk.

Walt frowned as he looked down to read the information podium, "Akhenaten. Or Amunhotep IV. He's the one who started my family's curse, remember?"

I winced softly. I hated talking about his family's dumb curse. But it was no longer affecting him or killing him, thanks to the god of Death, ironically enough.

Walt looked so much better. It was 5 months after that catastrophe with Apophis. I still sometimes fell asleep and woke up to night terrors of my friends dead, being eaten by snakes. But right now I was out and about, and I wanted to stay off that topic with a passion.

"He was the one who declared that false god right, Aten?"

"Mmm. He was punished for it. The only gods who rule in Egypt are the one's she's known for years and years and years, Sadie. Hard to change that." He smirked down at me. His leather jacket had looked, originally, very out of place for Walt. All of his new outfits did, but it was Anubis's influence. It wasn't a bad influence or anything.

"He might as well get bonus points for trying." I smiled cheerfully back, tugging him away from this memorial to his entire family's annihilation, including his father. I tried not to think about it, instead I focused on distracting him from all this depressing history, "So... How h-"

And I went limp like a rag doll, Walt yelling as I crashed to the tiled floor of the exhibit.

* * *

Burning.

The sensation of fire tickled his skin. He was dead, wasn't he?

Then why did it still hurt?

The voice boomed in his skull, the voice scratchy, like hard beetle shells cracking, "Foolish boy. Foolish boy thought he would win. You are just like him, my last patron."

He tried to talk back to the voice in his head, but nothing came out, "Do not struggle, boy. We are both of the sun. My flames burn a little brighter... For the children of the sun."

The man's burned finger twitched and blood trickled down, a drop rolling off and falling into the void, "We shall have to see about making you whole again..."

* * *

"Sadie? Come on..."

I woke up with a gasp, startled. I couldn't even remember passing out, I was walking with Walt and then I was on the ground...

The vision rushed back to me in an instant, like someone had clubbed me with a bat. A spiky, flaming bat.

A man suspended in a dark void like space, his skin a crisp, flakey, charred black. Without warning, I suddenly turned and threw up into the nearest funeral urn. Poor Egyptian soul.

Walt rubbed my back, in between my shoulder blades, "Hey, hey, calm... It's okay, Sadie."

The man had been burned beyond belief. He shouldn't even be alive, but something was keeping his energy going, and what had that horrible, horrible voice said? Children of the sun?

"Walt, I'm fine... What happened?" I tried to stand up and of course, he insisted on helping me. I wobbled against him as I regained my balance after that incident.

He looked me over a few times, before saying slowly, "We were heading away from the statue of Akhenaten when you just went limp. You sure you're totally fine?" His concern touched me. Boys. So sweet, so oblivious.

"I had a vision. I don't know how, but it had to do with children of the sun... Or something like that." The moment I said those words, Walt's expression went from tender concern to rock solid grimness.

"Children of the Sun. Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Aten is the Sun deity. His priests were often called Children of the Sun."

I stared at him, and my gaze slipped to the statue of his ancestor behind us. I suddenly felt a lot less safe in the museum.

"But Ra-"

"Ra is the god of the sun. Aten is the sun."

"Oh." I squeaked. That voice... "I saw a man. His skin, it was... Black."

"That's awful rude." Walt's voice cut in, and he was smirking. I playfully flicked his ear, "Shut up, Walt."

I brushed my loose strands of hair out of my eyes and sighed, continuing, "Anyways. His skin was burned black. Like someone had set him on fire or there had been an explosion or... I don't know. But he was alive, and in so much pain..." I tottered again, the thought making me sick. Walt caught me as I swayed, "Easy. I get it."

"Sadie?"

I turned and saw Carter, Zia at his side. They both looked great, and with Carter that's a hard thing to believe. Zia especially. Carter was wearing a white linen tees shirt and jeans. Zia, however, was rocking the Egyptian Queen look. White linen dress, gold Ankh necklace (symbol of eternal life, honestly learn your amulets and symbols) and tie up sandals. They looked very out of place, especially Carter, who for once wasn't looking like a professor wanna be.

However, both were studying me with intensity, Carter worried, Zia perplexed. Walt rested a heavy hand on my head and said slowly, "She had a vision. Sadie, do you think you could... Tell them?"

It was hard to talk about it and get the images out of my head, of the burned man still breathing fire-filled breaths. Carter looked disturbed, and Zia was about as green as I was. Overall, creepy vision of a burned-to-a-crisp chosen one with a forbidden god? Not the best way to end a double date.

"Do you think the statue triggered it?" Zia looked back to the curvy, outlandish statue of Akhenaten. It wasn't moving, nor was it trying to kill us or take our eyes as trophies (Not fun). But still, the coincidence was too unlikely for me to not connect the two events.

"It... Could have," I said carefully, but before I could continue Carter the blabbing wonder cut in, "There's really no wondering to it. You just so happened to be talking about Ahkenaten and you have a vision that involved Aten?"

It was too much to just pass off as a coincidence.

Zia looked over to me after staring at the statue, "Did you notice anything specific about this man? The burned one."

Thinking about him made me almost ready to throw up again, but I tried to look past his toast appearance, "Ahm.. Uh... He kinda had some scraps of white fabric clinging to his skin."

Before I could continue, the sound of stone grinding on stone. We all turned.

Akhenaten was ready to play ball.


	2. Chapter 2 - Studious

**Excited by the response I'm getting so far. Enjoy Chapter 2, it's longer than normal but it makes up for the shorter chapter I have planned for next, be ready to go behind enemy lines then. Until that time, enjoy!**

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**{CARTER}**

Why did Sadie always pick the worst places for dates? Come on.

[Also Sadie, Akhenaten was not ready to 'play ball'. He's not a basketball player, chill- OW. THAT WAS NOT THE BABOON WHO THREW THAT, I SAW YOU!]

The statue of Akhenaten was moderately sized, for an Egyptian statue anyways. Compared to us, it was easily a few heads taller than Walt, and Walt was tall. The staff it held in it's hands burned a white hot color like molten metal from a furnace, and I got the feeling it would burn about just as much.

It's eyes blazed like miniature suns, almost painful to look at. I could feel my skin cells screaming under the stress of the UV rays those things must have given off, but Zia, as usual, was unaffected. She'd hosted the sun god, Ra, this must have been a walk in the park for her.

The statue was curvy in all the wrong places. He looked awful girly as he brandished his staff.

My sister immediately straightened and snatched her own ivory staff from the Duat. To most people, it would seem like she'd just yanked the stick out of nowhere, but I knew better. Her staff glowed a bright gold, as the magic of Isis prepared to fight. The statue twirled his own magic stick, a small clump of hot melted iron spiraling off of the staff and hitting the ground, to my horror melting the marble tile as it sunk into the stone, almost liquefying it.

"Guys! Look out! That thing means business!" I jumped back, my hand self-consciously around Zia's upper arm to bring her back as well but she stood her ground, eyes flaring up hotly.

Oh no. Zia was mad. We screwed up now.

"You dare the defile the sun god Ra with your presence here?" She hissed, her voice low and controlled, but anger was definitely there. Her skin started to grow feverishly warm so I let go of her arm. With the sun god's ex-host, you could never be too careful.

Sadie mumbled something under her breath, sounding a string of Ancient Egyptian curses before she turned to face the statue, "Walt! Can't you use your... Ashy death powers?"

She turned to look at her boyfriend but she shrieked, "Walt!" When I turned to look myself, I paled, mostly in fear.

Walt was kneeling on the ground, on his knees before the statue, unable to move... Or unwilling. Walt was hosting the god Anubis, lord of the dead, but he was being rendered immobile by a load of rocks, and that was scary. Anubis, as far as we knew, was the only major god with real power in the mortal world now. The statue raised his bubbling, melting metal staff, and as he lowered it to strike out at Walt's neck, Sadie screamed.

For one horrible, horrible moment, Walt looked like just as he was under the curse of his family. The olive skin, almost yellow, the gaunt face and eyes, thin like a twig... It was hard to look at him like that and I could hear Sadie's choked sob, and I knew she saw it as well.

Zia quickly made flames roar up around her. I wanted to cry out that it was no use and she'd be too late.. Until the smoke from the flames set the emergency fire sprinklers off.

A cold torrent of water hit us and the statue. The rocks steamed under the intense water, the fire in it's eyes going out as the staff began to solidify into solid metal again. The statue's smooth surface cracked under the stress of going from hot to cold quickly, and the statue shattered.

The rocks tumbled to the floor. I silently reflected on the fact that we had once again destroyed a piece of Egyptian art as Sadie crumpled next to Walt, shaking like a leaf. He looked normal again, confused but flustered under Sadie's concern.

"Zia... That was genius." I said, looking over at her, impressed. She smiled, glowing under the praise, "Why, thank you Carter," She looked back to the ruined statue, "That statue was serving Aten. I believe Sadie is right in her assumption, somehow Aten is awakening."

Walt coughed and looked up, eyes bloodshot, "And there are no gods to stop him. Ever since Apophis was ex-… the e-word, um, the gods had to withdraw as well to uphold the balance. But Aten doesn't abide by these rules as he's not even an Ancient Egyptian god."

I sighed. I finally thought we'd caught a nice, well deserved break, and this is sprung on us? So unfair! I looked at the people around us and sighed again, saying, "Well, do we know what awoke Aten? If he wanted to take over the world, he could have done it earlier. Why now?"

"Akhenaten was a magician," Walt said, "So it's safe to assume that he probably hosted Aten like you two host Isis and Horus and as I host Anubis. He must have found a new host."

"Picky god," Sadie said, her chin on Walt's shoulder as she looked up with her piercing blue eyes, "If he's waited so long to find the perfect host, well, it's probably not a good host. Not good as in powerful. In a bad way."

I nodded down at her in agreement, "I can get Cleo and the shabti to get information on Akhenaten and his god so it'll be ready when we get back to the mansion. We should get out of here, we kinda ruined the exhibit. And the mortals are noticing."

* * *

"Akhenaten. The Heretic King." I traced the hieroglyphs for his name, paying attention to the unfamiliar symbol of Aten, the circle and the suns rays, ending with hands outstretched.

Walt was our in-resident expert. Because of his ancestor, his entire family was cursed. As of now, the curse was what we assumed, cured, because of Anubis inhabiting his body. But we're not sure yet. At any rate, Walt knew the most about his magical great great grandfather.

"Akhenaten was pretty neglected as a kid. He was shipped off to Memphis when he was young, his older father was being groomed for royalty and he was discarded like a broken toy. No wonder he turned out to be a rebel."

"I like this Pharaoh." Sadie proclaimed as she rubs her temples, looking down at the scroll she was in the process of reading, "Married his sister. Or his cousin. Something like that. They had 6 kids, ew."

I rolled my eyes as I looked at my sister, "They did it all the time. Purifying the blood line and such. Anyways, Akhenaten moved the capital from Thebes to his own city of Amarna, right?"

She nodded up at me, "Yeap, and it caused a lot of problems. He also banned the worship of the gods and even the House of Life itself, tough stuff to swallow." She went back to skimming the scroll, breezing easily over the hieroglyphs.

I slouched down into the nearest chair, rubbing my eyes from exhaustion. We had barely fought with the statue of the pharaoh but I felt so... Tuckered out. We had another mission to save the world, and we weren't even sure what Aten could do yet. Save people from the brink of death? Check. Posses statues of his old host? Double check. Give teenage girls tans and skin cancer? Triple check.

Zia rested a hand on my shoulder, and warmth spread through me. She had that effect, even though it really wasn't her alone, "Don't act so stressed, Carter. You defeated Chaos, even though you did force every single one of our godly allies into extended exile, which means we're on our own in this." I looked up at her and glared a bit, "Gee, thanks for reminding me we have no godly firepower."

"You're welcome." She leaned down and kissed the top of my head before moving to head out of the library. Walt seemed to be napping, or consulting Anubis, or both. Sadie was still reading through her scroll, scoffing occasionally as she went.

These were my friends, my family. How could I stop this and protect them without the Gods at our side?

It hit me like a tidal wave, which seems awfully appropriate. I stood up and proclaimed, "I'm going to Long Island."


	3. Chapter 3 - Burned

**I promised a look behind enemy lines, so a look we shall get. Like I said before, it's short but has important information about Walt, Aten, and the burned boy.**

* * *

Parts of the boy's skin had grown back by now. Some splotches of it however still appeared black and charred from the extended damage he'd sustained, but he was so _perfect_. A blend of bloodlines, stretching back generations...

But that was ancient history.

His hair would never grow back. His face would be permanently disfigured, but he would be alive, and he would be the priest he needed to carry his torch, to spread the news that Aten was returning. But, the craving he had felt in that moment, to send Anubis away from that sweet, perfect body and take it for himself... Oh, the power.

The boy had been even better than he'd thought. A direct descendant, even better than the one in the works. But the God of Death had beaten him to it, and so he was rendered useless unless Anubis was out of the picture.

Until then, he would make do with the temporary host. This one was not preferable, but an indirect descendant, in the end, is still a descendant, and the blood of Akhenaten still flowed in his veins.

This blood was now slowly clotting as the body regained more of it's skin from the burned charred ash. He was healing, ever so slowly. It was painful to watch, not because he empathized, but because it was taking ages to finish. He'd been waiting thousands of years to find the perfect host, every direct descendant of Akhenaten proving too weak to sustain him.

He'd first wormed his way into Tutankhamun's body, to thrive and hide himself as the gods searched. But the plan, how would it be put... Backfired. The boy king died an early death, so Aten simply moved onto the next one, feeding off the life force. The next one dropped dead young. And the next. And the next.

Aten was so close with the latest one, the boy. His sheer willpower was incredible, he was perfect. Once he died, he would rise again, as the true Sun God. However, he did not expect to be suddenly freed from the path of his ascension when he was violently shoved out by Anubis. No two gods can occupy the same mortal host.

But it was not a complete loss. Aten was free once more, and he had found a lesser host to use in order to win back his body.

That boy would be his. He knew from casually paying attention to conversations around him, what Anubis wanted. Until then, this one will have to work.

An eyelid opened. A piercing, frightened blue eye focused on the void around him. He tried to speak, but his throat was so damaged all he did was cough up soot. His charred lungs heaved, at this point being held together by the true Sun God's magic.

"Wh..- W-"

"Do not speak. You are far too weak. My magic rebuilds you, Child of the Sun, but it will be a while before you may move or talk. Rest, now, and relax."

_"Your task only begins."_

* * *

**Decided to clear this up. Essentially, Walt is the boy being mentioned. Walt's family was never 'cursed', it only appeared to be so. Aten was hosted by Akhenaten, and when Tutankhamun was born and Akhenaten died, Aten moved onto King Tut and remained dormant and semi-conscious inside of him. However, this had a side effect where Aten essentially fed off of the life force of the boy-king, and Tut died early because of it. Moving down the line, Aten has been in a sort of dream-state, just changing bodies and sucking the life out of them. However, when he came to Walt, it was much harder than expected. Like Aten said, Walt had an incredible willpower to live through everything. And when he became the host of Anubis, Aten was booted out, free from his dream-state into the world.**

**All I will explain for now. Stay tuned, next chapter is featuring a certain Son of Poseidon and his Wise Girl.**


	4. Chapter 4 - September

**Waaaagh, I wake up and suddenly reviews! Thanks ever so much for paying attention to my crazy little story ;^^ This chapter is love overdue and I'm sorry, but I was SWAMPED with IRL Schoolwork and horse stuff.**

PERCY

[So uh, hey people of the not-so-mortal world, I'm Percy Jackson. Carter just kinda handed the microphone off to me and I don't really know what to say, so I'll just continue on with it...]

The name rattled around in my mind, but I knew I couldn't say it as much as I wanted to. Carter. Carter. Carter.

Who was he? What was up with his people? When we had first met, I was dead-set on the fact he was something Gaea had thrown up. But it became more apparent that, well, he was a lot like me. But I could tell from the get-go, we were a fatal combination that was going to be an issue.

I remembered watching as the eye thing was traced on my hand, how it just faded into my skin. Sometimes I would wake up to a slight pricking sensation on the same hand and see the eye fully and brightly illuminated, staring back at me from the back of my hand. It woke Annabeth up more than once from the intense light and she'd complain in the morning before class to which I'd reply, "Gee, honey, I'll be sure to turn off the magical Egyptian alarm clock."

Our little apartment in New Rome was small yet cozy. Annabeth, ever the architect insisted on decorating it. I still remember my jaw dropping when she lead me in, hand over my eyes and revealed the perfect, cabin-by-the-beach styled home. The coffee table, made from what looked like driftwood, the sea-green carpet, the chessboard on the dining room table, the pieces little ships instead of Knights and Bishops.

The photos on the mantle of the small iron fireplace tucked in the corner made me sad however. Chiron, bow out with the string pulled back, an arrow knocked and ready to fire. Jason, Piper, Hazel and Frank all crammed together for a selfie. Coach Hedge and his baby, both smiling wide. A stunning shot of the sun setting on the Big House at Camp Half-Blood. The only face missing was Leo, and that made the whole mantle and collection of pictures a little sad.

Nobody knew where he'd gone. It had been 6 months, and to be frank, everyone was starting to loose hope he'd come back, or if he was even alive. Whenever I thought of him, I just got angry at myself. I should have tried harder to save him.

Annabeth told me it wasn't me, it was just how things were meant to be, but even she couldn't hide her own sadness at his loss behind her endless logic and reasoning.

"Percy! Stop spacing out and help me pack!"

Something hitting my side shook me free of my reverie. I turned and saw Annabeth had thrown a chess piece at me. It was a little Admiral's Ship, "Yeah, hold on." I set the piece down on our bedside table and turned to pick up a massive pile of my clothes and start to shove them haphazardly into my bag. Hey- It was gonna get messed up on the trip there anyways, so what was the point?

I slung the duffle bag over my shoulder and exited our bedroom. Annabeth was in the middle of packing snacks for the trip, but had become distracted at the crossword puzzle on the back of the newspaper printed in New Rome, The Demigod Daily.

Setting my bag down next to hers, I creeped up behind her and rested my chin on her shoulder, looking down, "Stuck? That's not like you."

"Sorry," She muttered, "Distracted because you're distracted and not helping with the packing."

"Hey, I packed." I said, feigning hurt. She chuckled quietly as she narrowed her eyes, "Wha.. What does this even mean." She pointed to the clue and I read it aloud, "Ancient Rome's version of Delphi."

Annabeth looked up at me, her grey stormy eyes flashing with annoyance like a storm, "I don't get it. The Romans didn't have a Delphi, I don't think anyways. They had Augurs, but I mean..."

I smiled, rolling my eyes, "Only you could get angry at a crossword puzzle. Come on, if we're late to leave we're late to arrive."

She sighed as she set the newspaper down. I picked up both of our bags and slung them over a shoulder, moving out to the front door. Blackjack was shifting about awkwardly in the streets, Reyna next to him looking rather uncomfortable. Blackjack's sleek black coat gleamed like onyx in the New Roman sun and he whinnied when he spotted me locking the door to our apartment, _'Hey boss! Ready to fly?'_

Reyna glared at me, "Gods, Percy, this pegasi is going to drive me insane. Every time a poor demigod or a legacy strolls by with a box of doughnuts, he goes berserk."

"That's the Blackjack I know," I said matter-of-factly as I put our bags into the saddlebags attached to his side, "Don't worry Reyna, we'll be out of your hair soon."

Annabeth climbed into the horse's back, resting lightly a little behind his withers, also behind his beautiful wings. I slid on behind her, wrapping my arms around her to keep her steady. I looked down to Reyna, "See you in September Reyna. Blackjack, lets get flying."

The horse whinnied a response and with a massive flap of his powerful wings, they were soaring above New Rome, into the sky, towards New York.

* * *

The flight wasn't so bad. It's the landing that sucked, we got into a horse-on-griffin fight.

Blackjack was going great until he spotted another flying friend. I had to rub my eyes to make sure I was seeing right and Annabeth looked a little in shock. Siding up next to us, was a massive Egyptian Barge, pulled by a Griffin.

On the barge was, gods help me, Carter Kane.

He waved a hello, and yelled over the roar of the wind, "PERCY! I WAS HOPING THAT WOULD BE YOU!"

I hesitantly yelled back, "UH, HEY, YOU." I had to make sure to NOT say his name, it would probably teleport him over or something like that and that would be pretty bad.

"WE NEED TO TALK ON NEUTRAL GROUND, IT'S ONE OF THOSE END OF THE WORLD SCENARIOS!"

"I JUST LOVE THOSE! LAND ON THE BEACH WHERE WE FOUGHT CROC BOY!"

Blackjack snorted nervously, _B-Boss? Land next to that _thing_? What if it eats me?_

I patted his rump as a sign of reassurance, "He won't eat you. Just take us down to the beach, okay?"

The moment we landed, the griffin started a fight. He seemed to think Blackjack was his next snack, because as soon as Annabeth and I got off, my poor Pegasi was assaulted by the griffin, Carter cursing in Egyptian as he shouted commands.

"FREAK! OFF!"

"FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAK!"

_BOSS, MY HEAD'S IN IT'S BEAK!_

All the voices around me had the blood roaring in my ears. The sea bubbled at my turmoil and frustration. Finally, the waves crashed rather loudly against the sand as I yelled, "FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS, ALL OF YOU SHUT UP AND STOP."

To my surprise, everyone did just that.

Freak the Griffin stopped eating Blackjack's head. Carter stopped his spells, and even Blackjack seemed subdued. I took a deep, calming breath and walked up to Carter, "What do you need to talk about."

The next few minutes were overwhelming. Learning about an evil chaos snake, how said evil chaos snake was defeated and exiled by Carter and his sister Sadie (Not sure who that is but Annabeth seemed to have an idea), but how that caused the Gods to be exiled as well. Not another god was threatening them and the world, but they had no backup from the Gods.

But we did?

I admit, during the time this was absurd. Just because we had godly magical backup, we're supposed to help them with their problems? The moment I thought about it I felt guilty however. How could I think that, the world was in danger again and they needed us and our Gods to help them stop it.

"Look, C-... Uh, you know, I don't know if the Egyptians and the Greeks can play nice, but I do know the Egyptians and the Romans will _not _play nice-"

"There's Romans too." Carter said flatly, and I could sense this was getting ugly.

"Just, just ignore that bit," I said quickly, trying to defuse a bomb as I fell back on my knowledge of Rome and Egypt, how Rome had basically crushed Ancient Egypt, "But, I'm willing to try for a Greek/Egypt alliance against this thing you call Aten."

He sighed, rubbed the back of his neck and looks down, "Thanks man. All I wanted, I needed to know my guys wouldn't be alone in this. We have magic, but there aren't many of us left after the incident from before with Apophis."

I nodded in understanding. I could almost feel his pain and worry; His friends and family were in danger because of someone he had no means of defeating without us. Denying him that seemed very wrong, and if the world was getting involved then this was the Greek's fight as well.

Now I just had to figure out how to either keep the Romans from finding out, or keeping the Romans and Egyptians from starting a war.

* * *

**So in case you little budding history nerds did not know, Rome is considered directly responsible for the downfall of Ancient Egypt. Therefore, I thought it would an interesting dynamic to play.**

**Sorry again for the long wait 3**


	5. Chapter 5 - Dinner

**Hey guys! Sorry, IRL got to me, and I was occupied with a writing thing for my friend. See that review button? It gets lonely sometimes :c Leave a nice** **word, the support this has been getting is blowing me out of the water! I didn't expect this to get popular or anything~ :-)**

* * *

**SADIE**

* * *

[For the love of the gods, Percy, give it here- No, don't do that, you'll rip the mic out- CARTER!]

[There.]

I don't like it when my boyfriend goes out of his way to avoid me.

Ever since the museum he'd been going out of his way to ignore me. Walt took dinner in his room. He didn't show up to practice his magic and when Julian had tried to talk to him he had slammed the door in his face so hard the wall beside it had cracked. He was clearly agitated beyond belief.

He wouldn't talk to me though. I'd knock at his door to deliver his meals and each time he opened it he looked worse and worse. His hair was greasy and messy. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin clammy like he was ill. I told him he should see Jaz is he wasn't feeling well but he refused me with a sharp shaking of his head, and the same slamming of the door in my face.

But I couldn't dwell on it. If Walt was shutting himself away from me than there isn't anything I can do unless he wants to talk to me.

So instead I dove back into research. Old scrolls, family trees, anything to help me figure out what I can do to stop Aten from enacting his various evil schemes. I'm sure he didn't want to bring an eternal summer and lounge on the beach sipping a fruity drink out of a coconut shell, a little straw umbrella sticking out as his demonic friends play volleyball.

The one thing that caught my eye was the Family Tree of Akhenaten.

Some old geezer named Ay, had two daughters; One was named Nefertiti, the other Mutnodjmet. Nefertiti married Akhenaten and had 6 children, of course, but Mutnodjmet, she married a general and had two children, one who became the queen of Ramses II. Our ancestor.

Were we related to Akhenaten? Was it possible? It would have only been through marriage seeing as no bloodlines existed linking us to the Pharaoh but through Queen Nefertari, the niece of Nefertiti, there was a link at least, as small as it was.

It seemed a little trivial, so I put the tree aside. If Carter wanted to see it and know then he could do it when he returned from visiting mutual friends in Long Island.

I was in there probably reading for an hour or two when Julian came in and told me it was time for Dinner, "Just a minute," I said, "I want to make sure Walt has food."

Knowing all of his favorite dishes (I am, after all, the superior girlfriend), I brought up a plate covered in plastic wrap. With a sharp knock, to my surprise the door creaked open.

"Walt? I brought dinner."

He was sitting on his bed, scrolls surrounding him. He looked up with bloodshot eyes and_stared_. I set the plate on the nearest surface and retreated as fast as I could, shutting the door behind me. The worry in my face was seen by everyone at dinner as I sat down with my food._  
_

"Sadie, is Walt alright?" Julian asked, looking up at me with a strange face, and I realized my worry was an echo of his, "I'm not sure anymore. He was reading scrolls, a lot of them when I went up there. His room is a mess, his clothes are a mess, and he looks..." I couldn't finish.

Julian grimaced at that, "We'll have to tell Carter when he comes back from Long Island, see if he can whip Walt back into shape. He's the only godly anything we have on our side right now if Carter's mission fails. We'll need him and Anubis.

My stomach did somersaults at that. If I went back to Walt's room and slipped into the Duat, would I see Anubis in the same shape? Bloodshot eyes, an aura that screamed crazy?

"Right. We'll talk to my brother." I grumbled as I forked a bit of steak unenthusiastically, my appetite dead. I wanted to retreat back into the library as soon as possible to continue my research, and for a sad moment I realized I was starting to slowly become like Walt, except I hadn't lost my marbles. Was he researching as well? Was there any point in asking?

Dinner was cut short when Khufu started to screech, pointing at the sky enthusiastically. I turned to look, and nearly spat my food out at what was happening.

A black pegasi was flying in, tailed by a very familiar griffin and boat. The winged horse proceeded to land right outside of the terrace, next to Phillip. The alligator seemed a little agitated at the presence of the horse, and the boy on the horse seemed a little wary of the massive albino croc swimming in our pool [I hardly blamed the poor fellow, I had a similar reaction.]

First thing that hit me; Boy on the horse was cute. [Yes, Percy, shush.]

Second thing that hit me; My old pal Annabeth was totally clinging to him. Damn it.

Third thing that hit me; Cute Boy on the horse was waving a sword around.

Another day in the life of the Kanes.

* * *

**Bwaahahahaha. Poor Sadie, can't catch a break.**


	6. Chapter 6 - Sun

**-flails and flaps arms-**

**HELLO MY BABIES! MWAHAHAHAHA**

**no uh kidding. Still a little blindsided by responses, keep them up I love reading them 3 If you have any questions, concerns, whatever, just wanna say hi my inbox is open and lonely lol! Leave reviews, even if it's just to say hi or some crappy emoticon, warms my sad little heart ~3~**

* * *

[SADIE]

Seeing that bloke Percy, who is also rather chummy with my brother Carter, with his girlfriend Annabeth made me realize that I missed Walt more than I had originally thought.

He still hadn't left his room, but had let Carter in. But when Carter came out he told me that Walt didn't talk or response when he tried to talk to him, he was absorbed in his writing and reading.

"This has gone on long enough," I said after a bout of silence in the library, "I'm going to talk to him. Again."

"Sadie..."

"Carter, shut up." I pushed away from the table, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket. My boots rang out heavily against the floor as I moved to Walt's room.

I raised my hand to knock but the door flew open on it's own, Walt's familiar eyes staring into mine. He still hadn't cleaned up neither himself or his room. He said in raspy voice, one that was tired and thirsty, "Sadie. Come in, we need to talk. Not much time to lose."

Anubis?

* * *

_His skin was pink, like a newborn baby. His hair, once thick with golden curls was bald and humble. He would live, but he would look so different. He rested, as the new one stirred._

_The golden tendrils of light moved down to brush the new one's skin. Normally, the small curls of light would have smoked and burned the skin._

_Nothing happened when the living flame of the sun came into contact with the skin._

* * *

[SADIE]

"Anubis, what's going on? Why are you and Walt acting like total madmen?"

He sat down on his bed, running a hand through his unwashed, unkept hair as he focused on me with his wild, sleepless eyes, "Sadie, just. On our date, when the statue was about to attack us... Walt and I, I was pulled away. Like someone had torn me out of Walt's body for just a moment. That's why he went back to looking like he had before he was hosting me, because I wasn't really there to sustain him..."

I looked down and linked my fingers, the image uncomfortable and hard to remember. Not because it was long ago... Because the imagery was painful. Gaunt face, grey skin, thin like a skeleton with a too-tight leather stretched over it. I looked back up and forced the image away from my mind.

"What happened when you were... Pulled out of Walt?"

"It spoke to me. Aten."

I nearly stumbled. Aten had talked to Anubis?

"What did he say? This is really bloody important Anubis!"

His face twisted up as if in pain. He ran another hand through is hair and put his face in his hands suddenly, "He wants me gone."

"What do you mean?"

"He wants me out of Walt's body, he wants it for himself. He's a direct descendant of Akhenaten, Sadie. He said he didn't care if I was still on this earth or with the other gods. I said no, of course I did but then..."

I moved over and sat down next to him, resting a hand on his back for support as he forced the words out, "Sadie... He offered me a body of my own."

"That's not even possible, Anubis. How can he... Give you a body?"

"It's what I've been trying to figure out with Walt. If Aten can do that, what else can he do?"

I felt sick at the notion of Anubis being the one to offer Aten Walt on a silver sun-decorated platter. The idea of Anubis having a body of his own was... Well, some part of me was thrilled at the notion. Another part of me cried at it. Because if Anubis wasn't inside of Walt, then either he'd be dead or Aten would be controlling him, and his death would just be prolonged.

Anubis continued, "Aten wants a host, of course he does. He's literally the sun, he can't really do much as that besides possess statues and order demons. He'd need a human form. Walt's ancestor was Aten's original host. It makes sense in a disturbing way."

He lifted his head up and sighed deeply. I took the opportunity to reach down and slowly link our fingers, saying quietly, "Anubis, _please_, promise me you won't abandon Walt just to have a body and be with... Me, if that's what you're planning. Because... I could never forgive you, and I know you'd never forgive yourself."

[Yes, Carter, I do give good moral advice. Now, be quiet and stop antagonizing poor Leo, he'll set you on fire.]

He smiled and leaned over, brushing his head against mine, "I wouldn't do that. I care about Walt too, well, not like that but... You know."

"I do know." I smiled and he planted a quick kiss on my forehead, "I promise Sadie. The only way that thing is getting Walt is if he tears me out of his body and mind."

I was going to say something but Carter, ever the romantic, practically broke the door down getting in, "Sadie!"

I stared down my big brother, an art I was quite good at, "Do you need something?"

"Sadie, the sun isn't setting."

* * *

**[drama intensifies]**

**Another short chapter 3: Well, next one will be longer, back behind enemy lines -smears camo paint on face-**

**Fun fact, I never name these chapters things like, "Chapter 6" and stuff in the Doc Manager, the first chapter's file name was me smashing my face into the keyboard and this one is just called 666. because. Chapter 4 is called 420 blaze it.**

**I AM SUCH A RANDOM PERSON**


	7. Chapter NA - Authors Note

**Hi guys! Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!**

**Sorry for not uploading the next chapter. Holidays have screwed me for responsibility and school is rolling around soon. Yaaay.**

**The next chapter is a work in progress, emphasis on work. Don't worry, I'll get it out as soon as I can, just making this post so you all know I didn't fall off a cliff or something :3**

**All the reviews and favs. really inspire me to keep going, I'm happy you guys are loving this, this story started out as just me trying to pass time in my lame math class, then a friend read it and said it should go up here so it did :D**

**I hope you all had a safe happy holiday season and spent lots of time with friends, loved ones and family, and I also hope you had lots of hot cocoa! :D**


	8. Chapter 8 - Child of the Sun

**School why. Personal life why. MENTAL STATE WHHHHY**

* * *

[CARTER]

Just like my sister to make-out with her boyfriend(s) when we have a situation brewing. [Don't give me that look, you're not denying it.]

We first noticed the sun and it's stubbornness when Khufu pointed out with a series of screams and scratching that on the news, the sun was already set. However, when we looked out the window, the sun blazed over the horizon, looking ready to set. It made the sky a bloody crimson red, the clouds tainted orange. But to the rest of the mortal world, the moon was already starting to rise.

That's when I realized that, with a sinking feeling, that Aten was the sun itself. He was stopping the sun from setting. How would Ra raise the sun if the sun wouldn't move? What would the Gods do?

We were stuck in a perpetual sunset. Honestly, I was surprised the mortals couldn't see it. Something that large should've been easily seen, but of course, Percy simply said it was the Mist, whatever that was. Guess the Greeks and the Egyptians don't have much in common. He tried to explain it, evidently not well because I'm still lost.

Walt wasn't coming out still, according to Sadie. He was busy with his research, she said. Well, I wouldn't pry if she wasn't coughing up information on her potentially insane boyfriend willingly, not like me to bully my little sister for information, even if she does it to me. Constantly. Even when it's not information. [Sadie, stop laughing.]

"So, do we have a game plan?" My sister sat next to me in a plastic lawn chair. Phillip splashed half-heartedly in the pool next to me as I looked out at the sun with a telescope, trying to not hurt my eyes. I shook my head and looked over the arm of the telescope to her, "We don't. So far the sun hasn't moved an inch."

"Carter, I don't even know why you're doing this. Staring at the bloody thing isn't gonna fix it!" She crossed her arms, staring at me with those sharp blue eyes of hers, "We ought to talk to the Greeks. Put our heads together, see if we can't think of something."

And so, we called them down, they pulled up two crappy plastic lawn chairs, and we all looked out at the sun.

"So... Your god, Ra, raises and sets the sun with his magic boat." Percy said, frowning a bit as he looked out to the orange sphere, "Yeah," I said, "Basically. It's a lot more complicated than that."

"Right." He nodded slowly, locking eyes with me, "So, what? Do we have any plan on how we're supposed to beat _the sun_?"

"When you put it like that, it sounds crazy." Said said dryly, snickering. I glared at her, however, and she stopped.

Percy rubbed the back of his neck and sat back, looking at at Sadie and I, before saying carefully, "The last time you contacted Aten, it was through a statue that attacked you, right?"

"Yeah."

"And what? You had a vision of... A burned man."

Annabeth's head perked up, "Burned man? What?"

Sadie nodded slowly, "Yeah. His skin was all black and crispy, but he was breathing. It was... Disgusting. Parts of his charred bones were showing- Ugh, gods."

I cringed just picturing it.

However, Annabeth's eyes were wide with the horror of new found information, a look I was all too familiar with. Percy shook her shoulder, worry on his face, "Hey, um, Earth to Annabeth?"

She mumbled quietly, under her breath but we could all hear her clearly, "Aten... The sun... Apollo, sun god... Child of the Sun... Burned man. Oh my _fucking_ gods."

Percy seemed a little stunned by that remark, she "Uhhhhh, Annabeth...?"

"Octavian."

* * *

The boy's hair had grown back in. A luxurious crown of golden curls. His skin was patchy, like he had massive, tanned birthmarks all over his body. His lungs were still ashen and thick with soot, which the boy still coughed up hourly. His voice was raspy and weak, and he kept asking when he could leave.

However, once he heard what the true Sun God had in store, well... He didn't want to leave after that.

"How long until we may leave?"

The voice around Octavian was ethereal and echoing throughout the black voice in which he regenerated. His organs were ruined and were taking far too much time, "Once you have sufficiently healed to my preference. After that, you will host me as the great Akhenaten did before you and together, we shall crush the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Romans, anybody standing in our path."

"Who else do you have here? I often here you speak of the other boy."

"Yesssss... The one immune to my touch. He's a curious one, rather hot-heated. Keeps asking after a woman of his... But I keep him here, yes. As a toy. Plaything. The fact my fire does not harm him... Amuses me."

Suddenly the boy's face twisted up with rage, "My... My lord, I believe it would be beneficial if we... We removed this boy."

"Remove? Elaborate, my young host."

"He's friends with the Greeks and the Romans. He could rally them together and be a cause of great disturbance to us."

"Your point has been noted."

That's all he got whenever he tried to suggest something to the God. Your point has been noted. Never a straight yes, or a straight no, always some answer that never gave him anything concrete. He was starting to think that the God wasn't taking him seriously until he awoke to booming laughter.

"The boy has been removed, and what a humorous sight it was!"

"Removed?" Octavian said hopefully, "He's dead?"

"Bah, no. I've trapped him in the underground, hidden ruins of a temple to me, from the Amarna period. He may find his way out... Or he may not. Either way, he is still in the middle of the desert with no water. Oh, he cried for a moment before he collected himself, I had a good laugh."

Octavian's smile was locked onto his face. He wasn't dead. The person that nearly killed him, well, should have, was still alive. Breathing. Taking up air. Space.

When he hosted Aten, Leo was going to be the first person to die.

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**When you leave your review, tell me if you saw the Octavian thing coming or not ;3**


	9. Chapter 9 - The Price of Love

**Never written from Leo's perspective, but might as well try :D I'm just pumping out chapters like mad, now the story is gonna get... Interesting. =3=**

* * *

[LEO]

The temple was so deep underground. Like, _deep_. The sort of hopeless deep that I really don't like.

I had woken up in here, sand in my mouth and with no idea where Festus or Calypso was. Just the faint feeling that something had dropped me here like an old toy it had gotten bored with.

Around me rose columns hopefully keeping the roof up, shaped like the craziest female man I've ever seen, and probably ever will seen. Everywhere, him and what looked like little monkeys. [Carter here- That's his kids, Leo, not monkeys.]

[Carter, give me the mic back man! This was my moment!] Er, anyways. Female bro and his monkey kids. Everywhere, it was nuts. The room was super pitch dark though, thank the gods I can just make myself fire.

The problem is, even if I have fire, I don't have food. Or water. My toolbelt is gone as well, I'm guessing whoever dumped me here thought I didn't need it. Gee, thanks.

After exploring for a bit, I couldn't find an exit that was obvious. Lots of sand, boulders, some rotten wood, some more rotten wood, and more sand.

Judging by the sheer amount of sandstone, limestone and sand in this place, I figured I must be under some desert or something. I was definitely not above ground, since once in a while some sand fell through cracks in the ceiling, and the air pressure felt all wrong.

For a moment, I panicked. _Air_. How am I going to breath if I'm underground, if there's no way out? I tried to control my breathing, until I remembered a very simple lesson.

Fire needs air to thrive. So, if I started a fire, I should be able to see where it's blowing and follow that to some sort of exit to the topside world.

I felt relieved at the fact I had a plan. I was going to get out. I was going to see Calypso, and Festus, and Percy and Jason and everyone, Coach Hedge included. And once I found out who'd put me here and ditched Calypso out in a world she didn't understand, teeth were gonna break, and skin was going to burn.

Once I sparked up my hand, the flames immediately started pulling me in a direction. Like a breadcrumb trail, I followed as the flame to it's air source.

A large slab of stone, rectangular, propped up against the wall. The flames tugged eagerly at the bottom of it, where I could hear audibly, the faint woosh of air.

It was a door... But it was huge, there was no way I could move it conventionally...

Melting it, maybe? But then I would have to deal with lava, and that couldn't be fun. No, it was pounds and pounds of hopelessness starting at me in the face, my hand dancing with flames that teased me as they tried to slip through the crack on the bottom.

The flame dissipated. I stumbled down and pressed my back up against the stone door, feeling the air tear at my skin as it seeped into the room. I brought my knees up to my chest, looking around as tears welled and fell. _Calypso..._

I'd never see her again, most likely. She was out free in the world but it was a world that she was not familiar with or used to. She'd probably get thrown into an asylum for acting like a lunatic, raving about Greek Gods and Titans...

If someone had told me that I'd be stuck in a temple to a female man, crying my eyes out, I would have called them the raving lunatic.

Here I was though, and I missed her. Badly. And I was worried about her... I just wanted to see her alright.

"You must love her very much."

I looked up, and between my tears I saw a woman with pretty caramel hair done up like a Greek Goddess. She wore a figure-hugging white sheath, and for a moment I did think it was Calypso. But this person was taller, clearly older. And Calypso wouldn't have just been standing there looking at me.

I quickly rubbed my eyes, and finally saw her. And I groaned. There was only one person this could be.

"Aphrodite."

The Goddess of Love smiled at me, crossing her arms, "You called?"

"No, I didn't." I groaned again, standing up, annoyed. I didn't like the fact she was here. Aphrodite, according to Percy, messed with him and Annabeth on occasion, 'All for the good of love!' he said.

"You were weeping over the loss of your true love," She said dramatically, "So, yes, you did call me."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I didn't want to piss off the Lady of Doves with disrespect, unless I wanted to become a dove myself. I didn't.

Aphrodite continued talking, "Well, I am here to offer my services. Your little story touched my immortal heart. I'd like to offer you a deal."

Now she had my attention, "To get out of here?"

"Yes," She said slowly, and before I could say something she held up her hand, "However. This isn't for free. I have a price."

"What is it?"

"Telling you would ruin the story," She said in an irritated tone and I decided to stop with the questions, "Leo Valdez, as the Goddess of Love, I promise you, everything will turn out as it should. I will help you escape these ruins and reunite you with your beloved, if you pay my price."

"Which you won't tell me."

"Spoilers, spoilers." She said idly, pulling out a nail file and starting to daintily grind it against the end of her perfect nails, "Deal, or no deal, Son of Hephaestus?"

If I said no, I would die here. If I said yes, Aphrodite would help me escape. I could see Calypso again. On my own in here, my chances were comparable to nothing, "I have to say yes."

Aphrodite smiled, and for a moment she did look like Calypso and my knees felt weak. Suddenly I fell over, feeling loose and limp as the Goddess of Love hummed a soft tune. My eyelids shut against my will, and I felt a part of me screaming that I was making a _very_ big mistake.

When I opened my eyes, the rock was gone. I groaned and sat up, putting a hand to my head. I looked down what the rock had been hiding and it revealed a long, dark corridor.

I stood on shaky legs, and limped on in. I flicked my hand, ready to light up this place...

Nothing.

I stared in confusion, trying again, focusing as hard as I could. No, it couldn't... But the flames didn't appear.

Aphrodite had extracted her price.

* * *

**-hides in the bunker-**


End file.
